Stand Up for Immigrants on May Day
A busy long weekend of activism is almost here! Hot on the heels of Saturday’s People’s Climate March comes the May Day Action for Immigrants and Workers, on Monday, May 1st. Rallies, marches and strikes are planned in more than 50 cities in 25 states.
A number of groups are coordinating the multi-city May Day Action (also referred to as Un Dia sin Inmigrantes/A Day without Immigrants), including Cosecha, Casa in Action, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Food Chain Workers Alliance (FCWA). After years of unsuccessfully pressuring lawmakers for immigration reform, May Day Action organizers have turned to non-violent actions such as strikes and marches to demand protection and respect for immigrants, and to highlight the economic and social contributions of America’s immigrants, whether they’re documented or not. This year, May Day Actions will also stand against the broadened scope of deportation and other anti-immigration actions of the current administration.
Cities in and around New Jersey hosting May Day Actions include:
- Washington, DC, 2pm at Lafayette Square
- NYC, 12pm at Union Square Park
- Philadelphia, 12 pm at City Hall
- Jersey City, 2:30pm at Liberty State Park
- Newark, 2pm at Broad Street Lincoln Park and Federal Building
Organizations sponsoring May Day Actions in New Jersey include New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, New Jersey Working Families Alliance, ACLU of New Jersey, Food and Water Watch, NJ Clergy Coalition, NJ Forum for Human Rights, American Friends Service Committee, Action Together New Jersey, Blue Wave NJ, Make the Road NJ, CAIR New Jersey, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, Inc., New Jersey Policy Perspective and the UU Legislative Ministry of NJ.
How can you stand up for immigrants if you are unable to get to an event on Monday? Take to social media to share articles and photos of May Day Actions before, during and after the event. Fill in Casa in Action’s “I Stand with _____” page, take a photo and share on social media with the hashtags #maydayaction, #riseup, and #mayday.
But don’t stop there! Help increase the impact of the May Day Action by making some phone calls or writing some letters…
- to your local town council or county freeholders in support of Fair and Welcoming City policies, or for the ACLU’s 9 Freedom City policies.
- to your state legislators in support of bill S3005/A4742, which would prevent local law enforcement agencies from complying with ICE detention retainers or information requests unless an individual has been convicted of a serious crime, and bill A4611, which would prevent ICE from making arrests at schools, courthouses, health care facilities and shelters.
- to your House representatives in support of the BRIDGE ACT (HR 496), which would grant provisional protected status to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, and the Recognizing America’s Children Act (HR 1468), which would allow permanent status to undocumented immigrants who are long-term residents of the U.S. or who were brought to the U.S. as children.
- to your Senators in support of the BRIDGE ACT (S128), see above.
Whether you are able to march on Monday or now, please take a moment in the coming days to voice your support for immigrant families and communities.
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